Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

[Trevor]

I've lived in Seoul, Busan and in a rural area. Each has it's finer points and I think it really depends what you like and need.

Where I am now, in hisckville, I can save over twice as much as I would save in Seoul.

Social life? I'm looking at the sheep. (Just kidding -- there are no sheep here, but you get the idea).

If it is important to you to go out a lot, then go to a larger city, and don't forget Busan, which has a really vibrant foreigner community without all of the inconveniences of Seoul.

[fustiancorduroy]

Seoul's a lot cleaner than Bangkok or Beijing. Comparable to Tokyo and LA (really, it is). Some areas are dirty, sure, but what major world city (other than borderline-totalitarian Singapore) is spotless everywhere?

[Dodgy Al]

[endo]

[ardis]

[laserprinter]

[sojourner1]

The foul air quality is a deal breaker despite it being the main cultural center for everything and the only place that sells many things we westerners cherish. If it weren't for that smoke, I'd live in Seoul, but the pollution makes it too stressful on everyone which leads to more stress. It takes a thick skin and a tolerance to knowing you're screwing your health up to to live there. Of course this means Seoul is producing things to support a strong and growing economy much like Americans once did and there's lots of new money circulating that supports your well paid inner city private teaching. 40 to 50 years ago, American cities had black skies and gray air due to industrial manufacturing with many jobs and money, but today it's clear blue skies and clean air due to all of it closing down or moving to Asia. Sunny days are hazy if not cloudy due to all the smoke and the subway brews so much bacteria and viruses that make people sick due to such high population density in enclosed warm areas. Yuck.

[nicam]

Yeah, I guess I spent a lot of time in Hongdae, and the wealthy ares of Gangnam, but I just think that it being a better planned city creates the illusion of cleanliness.

In Geoje, there's always a ton of garbage bags on the curb (less effecient municipalities), and there's an older seedier feel to the buildings and streets. The sidewalks are uneven and the roads aren't paved well. There IS a certain charm to the tiny disheveled and confusing store fronts and the cute old couples "running" them, but after a while the novelty wears off. I guess it's a matter of Seoul having a more efficient system and money and motivation for renewal.

Yeah, and for 10 million or so people they're doing pretty well.

Plus it's a matter of there being a music scene there, art, REAL culture, and not just old folks and ubiquitous markets, fashion, movies, all kinds of international food that's actually half way decent, etc.

[Zutronius]

[skeeterses]

I don't regret not going to Seoul. I'll dare say that most of the cities in Korea are high-rise catacombs with traffic problems and the smell of pee coming from the alleys, but that's one of the things about living in a highly densely populated country. I think the cities in Europe and Japan are nicer.

Between living in a large Korean city or the Korean countryside, my personal preference is for the countryside. But that's coming from someone who's climbed mountains and ridden a bike through that part of Korea.

[nicam]

Ok, so how bad IS the air quality in Seoul?

Anyone experiencing asthma and the likes from living there? What are the stats? Aren't places like Ulsan and Daegu just as bad? Or Busan?

LA had a pretty bad smog problem and they managed to clean it up quite a bit, wonder if they'll implement something like that in Seoul soon.

[kiknkorea]

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

In my first year I didn't bother. Busan & Gwanju were good enough for me. When I lived in Daegu, I visited Seoul maybe 1-2 times a month.

[bassexpander]